April 1, 2026: No Joke – Rakuten 15% Cashback Deals + $50 For Signing Up PLUS Showcase of My Rakuten Earnings
If you have any spending you were going to do, you would be a fool to miss out on the extra cashback deals on Rakuten! And with the Rakuten – Bilt Partnership, this is one of the best ways to earn flexible points and without a credit card!
Please note: this post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something following a link on this page, I may get a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is absolutely free for you/does not cost you anything extra! There’s no sponsored content nor do I run ads here so this helps so much in reducing the ever-increasing costs of keeping this site active.Thanks! Rosemary
April 1 Extra Cash Back Deals

From extra $ to file your taxes with TurboTax to booking excursions with Viator to booking a stay with IHG or buying shoes with Adidas or products with Dermstore, Glossier or elf, there are many stores that have elevated cash back % today
April 1, 2026 Rakuten Big Deal: Lego 16%
In 2025, Rakuten introduced their weekly Big Deals – each Wednesday, you will earn an elevated cash back amount at a specific merchant that is often times the highest % or amount for a store/merchant – even higher than Black Friday! Take for example, July 30, 2025’s Big Deal was $400 for SoFi or the February 4, 2026 17% Big Deal for StubHub!
This is the highest percent of cashback that Rakuten offers with StubHub – even better than Black Friday, Online Monday deals!
Join Rakuten and Earn an Extra $50!

Simply use my referral link to sign up and place qualifying orders (that have been confirmed) totaling a minimum of $50 within 90 days of becoming a member! Note that you must be new to Rakuten and must be located in the 50 United States, D.C., or Canada to qualify. Rakuten w
Need a Refresher on Rakuten and How to Use It for Cashback?
The TLDR is that Rakuten is a shopping portal that is paid by merchants for directing traffic and the corresponding sales to their sites and Rakuten in turn pays you a portion of that money you go through Rakuten to visit and buy from merchants.
Here’s my in-depth how to guide on Rakuten which includes my own shopping example with a big payoff, showcase of places and things you didn’t think you could earn cashback on (bank accounts, dining at participating restaurants!), payment info and so much more!
Is Rakuten Legit? Seriously is it worth it?
I am sure that there are some of you are that are wondering: is this even legit? Maybe it seems a little too good to be true or maybe a little sketchy? Or is this even worth my time to do?

This was what I was had earned between 6/30/2023 and when I published my guide on Rakuten in 08/2025, I have already earned almost $1,800 cash back (and remember that I primarily use the American Airlines shopping portal!) This is the amount that has been paid AKA how much I have received in cold hard cash (well technically I opt for AMEX Membership Rewards and BILT points) – showing that Rakuten really does work as I have received the cashback as promised and advertised!
BEAUTIFUL TIP: Rakuten now allows you to earn your cashback as Bilt Points!! Until May 15, 2026, every $10 in Rakuten cash back equals 1,000 Bilt points (for signing up using my referral link = 5,000 Bilt Points! This is the only way I know how that allows you to earn points that you can transfer to airlines and hotels without holding a credit card! Learn more about the partnership and what is slated to happen after 5/15/26 here!
Quick Peek at My Earnings

I use primarily the AA shopping portal (since I am able to get both AA miles and AA elite status) but will also use Rakuten if there are any good opportunities (the Chime and SoFi Plus are two examples or if the % is significantly higher (Groupon and PacSun). So bummed that World of Hyatt’s presence was so short lived on the app. And very appreciative of those that are using my referrals!
And one of the things that I am most excited about is that the $464.35 shown as confirmed will be converted to 46,435 Bilt points on May 15!
About Author
Rosemary is a travel hacker, points nerd and female solo traveler who’s explored 70+ countries without a trust fund, sugar daddy, or sponsored content. Every mile, upgrade, and trip is completely self-funded using a mix of points, miles, and cash or earned with elite status. And she shows you the receipts along with a mildly concerning amount of spreadsheets. Through firsthand experience and plenty of trial and error, she teaches everyday travelers the art of travel hacking and how they too can travel for cheaper, better, and more often. While Rosemary doesn’t take herself too seriously, she does take award travel (and searching for the best ice cream) seriously – because seeing the world shouldn’t be reserved for the rich, the retired, or content creators with brand deals.
